Perth: Sudhir Gautam is a well known face to cricket fans the world over thanks to his impeccable body paint and the huge Indian flag he furiously waves throughout the duration of a match.

India fan Sudhir Gautam is questioned by WACA security manager Wayne Reynolds as his flagpole was over the prescribed limit during yesterday’s India vs West Indies match in Perth. Pic/Ashwin Ferro

However, the WACA authorities were not too happy about the length of the flagpole that the Bihar-born Gautam carried yesterday. He was even carrying an extension that would fit into the two metre pole to make it longer.

“The prescribed limit for a pole is one metre to 1.2 metres but this one is over two metres. This could not only obstruct the view of other spectators in the stands, it could also be unsafe for the others who wave around their flags,” Reynolds said.

Gautam, however, kept pleading that he be allowed with his pole. “I come for all the matches with this. I was here for the India vs UAE game too and no one stopped me so why now?

'Please allow me'“I will not create any problem. All the players and even the team manager know me, you can ask them. Please let me go,” pleaded Gautam.

The heated discussion between the duo continued for a while before Gautam assured the security staff that he wouldn’t use the pole and hurried away.

Reynolds later toldmid-day that Gautam had sneaked in the pole without the knowledge of the security staff at the gates. “He was stopped at a couple of gates by our security officers because of the length of the pole, but he tried his luck at other gates and managed to sneak in.

“Even now he says he won’t use the pole, but I’m sure he will do so when he gets to the other end of the ground. I don’t want to be a spoilsport, but in the interest of safety and security, this is incorrect,” said Reynolds.

Just like Reynoldspredicted, Gautam was seen later waving the flag at the far end as the match progressed.